It's Just Not That Simple: Is your Anemone hosting your Clownfish?

[Reef Outfit]

I’ve never had much luck with ocellaris, but my perculas would happily take to an anemone, frogspawn, hammer coral, or pretty much anything else they could find!



Has anyone had any luck with ocellaris? Which anemone was it?

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Mine are in one of the several RBT Anemones, usually they are paired up in one. Often they switch to another RBT, sometimes the Female leaves the Male behind. Only thing I can recommend is to not force the issue. Mine paired with the Anemone, when there was a lot of activity, from the Tile Setters, walking by the Aquarium.

 

[Dakota_reef]

I don't have an anemone, but my clowns don't even host in my corals. They like to stay up in the corner near my middle overflow box. It's like they've never been told they can move into my Hammer/Torches.

 

[Keko21]

Mine have never cared for BTA’s but they love my duncan!




 

[Gumbies R Us]

I don't have an anemone, but my clowns don't even host in my corals. They like to stay up in the corner near my middle overflow box. It's like they've never been told they can move into my Hammer/Torches.

This is exactly what my clowns do!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

IMO, if you want to have a host relationship be more likely, having the natural combination of anemone and clowns is a good start.

Types of Clownfish and the Anemones That Love Them

Not all species of clownfish will set up a home in any type of anemone. Certain species are more likely to be compatible than others.

www.thesprucepets.com

spawning pink skunk pair/H. crispa

ocellaris/gigantea

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

They like Carpet Anemones, but they get huge. Since mine didn’t divide on its own, I tried dividing it, couldn’t get the new section to grow. Gave it away. It out grew his 240 gallon Aquarium. He tried giving it away to a Public Aquarium, but they wouldn’t take it. It end up in a larger aquarium in Carolina.

 

[Gill the 3rd]

I used to have a green haddoni that hosted my clarkiis. Unfortunately I lost that anemone in a tank move. I was able to get a mertens anemone that hosted them right away.

Here us a pic from a year ago. At the time it was about 2 feet in diameter. I will have to get an updated pic since it has grown about another foot and the clarkiis are laying eggs all the time behind it. It takes up a quarter of my tank lol.

 

[PastaReefs]

My black and white clown host 4 out of my 5 bubble tips they are pretty close together, so he jumps between them. I would like to second what Jekyl said my clown also became extremely territorial after hosting. She will even jump out of the water to bite me.

 

[jlitz]

My maroon clown is eating my Chicago sunburst. She loves it so much and won’t ever leave it alone. It’s down to nubs. I think maybe I’d rather that it didn’t host lol.

 

[steveschuerger]

Yes and my Gonis, frogspawn and occasionally hammers. Pretty shameless if you ask me. They’ve also loved 4 frogspawn to death. And yet I still keep them…

 

[iReefer12]

Not sure if this has already been posted, but the trick to getting your clownfish to host is as simple as:

1. Find a nice picture of a Clownfish hosting an Anemone online, google image search for the win.

2. Print said picture on A4 paper in color.

3. Take some tape, stick said picture facing into tank, near the Anemone.

4. Wait..

As bonkers as this sounds, it has worked all 3 times for me. After months of not hosting too. So, give this a try and see if it works for you.

 

[Dakota_reef]

Not sure if this has already been posted, but the trick to getting your clownfish to host is as simple as:

1. Find a nice picture of a Clownfish hosting an Anemone online, google image search for the win.

2. Print said picture on A4 paper in color.

3. Take some tape, stick said picture facing into tank, near the Anemone.

4. Wait..

As bonkers as this sounds, it has worked all 3 times for me. After months of not hosting too. So, give this a try and see if it works for you.

I really feel this is a joke to see who falls for it, but I've also heard this method for birds and getting a new bird to get used to your face. When I tried it, my bird flipped it around to avoid seeing me.. But alas, I will try this anyway.

 

[iReefer12]

I really feel this is a joke to see who falls for it, but I've also heard this method for birds and getting a new bird to get used to your face. When I tried it, my bird flipped it around to avoid seeing me.. But alas, I will try this anyway.

It’s not a joke, I swear, it worked for me

 

[ieatbugman]

My clowns host both my bta and my duncan corals

 

[OrionN]

IMO, if you want to have a host relationship be more likely, having the natural combination of anemone and clowns is a good start.

Types of Clownfish and the Anemones That Love Them

Not all species of clownfish will set up a home in any type of anemone. Certain species are more likely to be compatible than others.

www.thesprucepets.com

spawning pink skunk pair/H. crispa

ocellaris/gigantea

I agree with Randy, just put together the animals that is naturally associated with each other. It is really that simple. Clowns will go into their natural host every time in my experiences. I certainly don't have experiences with all the clown fish, put I keep every host anemones at one time or another except S. mertensii. Every time I like a pair of clown fish in one of my anemones, I just get the clowns that are naturally associated with that anemone species. They jump into the anemone quickly every time, especially if I put my hand or a paddle into the tank and wave it around for a few second. I had my fair share of anemones hosted non natural clown fish too, but certainly this is not guarantee.
I never keep clown fish long term without their anemones. They just don't look natural to be not in an anemone. These days I almost exclusively just keep A. ocellaris and A. percula